Chapter 72 “In Remembrance of Me”

“The Lord Jesus the same night in which He was betrayed took bread: and when
He had given thanks, He brake it, and said, Take, eat: this is My body,
which is broken for you: this do in remembrance of Me. After the same manner
also He took the cup, when He had supped, saying, This cup is the new
testament in My blood: this do ye, as oft as ye drink it, in remembrance of
Me. For as often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye do show the
Lord’s death till He come.”
1 Cor. 11:23–26.

Christ was standing at the point of transition between two economies and
their two great festivals. He, the spotless Lamb of God, was about to
present Himself as a sin offering, that He would thus bring to an end the
system of types and ceremonies that for four thousand years had pointed to
His death. As He ate the Passover with His disciples, He instituted in its
place the service that was to be the memorial of His great sacrifice. The
national festival of the Jews was to pass away forever. The service which
Christ established was to be observed by His followers in all lands and
through all ages.

The Passover was ordained as a commemoration of the deliverance of Israel
from Egyptian bondage. God had directed that, year by year, as the children
should ask the meaning of this ordinance, the history should be repeated.
Thus the wonderful deliverance was to be kept fresh in the minds of all. The
ordinance of the Lord’s Supper was given
653to commemorate the great deliverance wrought out as the result of the death
of Christ. Till He shall come the second time in power and glory, this
ordinance is to be celebrated. It is the means by which His great work for
us is to be kept fresh in our minds.

At the time of their deliverance from Egypt, the children of Israel ate the
Passover supper standing, with their loins girded, and with their staves in
their hands, ready for their journey. The manner in which they celebrated
this ordinance harmonized with their condition; for they were about to be
thrust out of the land of Egypt, and were to begin a painful and difficult
journey through the wilderness. But in Christ’s time the condition of things
had changed. They were not now about to be thrust out of a strange country,
but were dwellers in their own land. In harmony with the rest that had been
given them, the people then partook of the Passover supper in a reclining
position. Couches were placed about the table, and the guests lay upon them,
resting upon the left arm, and having the right hand free for use in eating.
In this position a guest could lay his head upon the breast of the one who
sat next above him. And the feet, being at the outer edge of the couch,
could be washed by one passing around the outside of the circle.

Christ is still at the table on which the paschal supper has been spread.
The unleavened cakes used at the Passover season are before Him. The
Passover wine, untouched by fermentation, is on the table. These emblems
Christ employs to represent His own unblemished sacrifice. Nothing corrupted
by fermentation, the symbol of sin and death, could represent the “Lamb
without blemish and without spot.” 1 Peter 1:19.

“And as they were eating, Jesus took bread, and blessed it, and brake it,
and gave it to the disciples, and said, Take, eat; this is My body. And He
took the cup, and gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, Drink ye all of
it; for this is My blood of the new testament, which is shed for many for
the remission of sins. But I say unto you, I will not drink henceforth of
this fruit of the vine, until that day when I drink it new with you in My
Father’s kingdom.”

Judas the betrayer was present at the sacramental service. He received from
Jesus the emblems of His broken body and His spilled blood. He heard the
words, “This do in remembrance of Me.” And sitting there in the very
presence of the Lamb of God, the betrayer brooded upon his own dark
purposes, and cherished his sullen, revengeful thoughts.

At the feet washing, Christ had given convincing proof that He understood
the character of Judas. “Ye are not all clean” (John 13:11),
654He said. These words convinced the false disciple that Christ read his
secret purpose. Now Christ spoke out more plainly. As they were seated at
the table He said, looking upon His disciples, “I speak not of you all: I
know whom I have chosen: but that the scripture may be fulfilled, He that
eateth bread with Me hath lifted up his heel against Me.”

Even now the disciples did not suspect Judas. But they saw that Christ
appeared greatly troubled. A cloud settled over them all, a premonition of
some dreadful calamity, the nature of which they did not understand. As they
ate in silence, Jesus said, “Verily I say unto you, that one of you shall
betray Me.” At these words amazement and consternation seized them. They
could not comprehend how any one of them could deal treacherously with their
divine Teacher. For what cause could they betray Him? and to whom? Whose
heart could give birth to such a design? Surely not one of the favored
twelve, who had been privileged above all others to hear His teachings, who
had shared His wonderful love, and for whom He had shown such great regard
by bringing them into close communion with Himself!

As they realized the import of His words, and remembered how true His
sayings were, fear and self-distrust seized them. They began to search their
own hearts to see if one thought against their Master were harbored there.
With the most painful emotion, one after another inquired, “Lord, is it I?”
But Judas sat silent. John in deep distress at last inquired, “Lord, who is
it?” And Jesus answered, “He that dippeth his hand with Me in the dish, the
same shall betray Me. The Son of man goeth as it is written of Him: but woe
unto that man by whom the Son of man is betrayed! it had been good for that
man if he had not been born.” The disciples had searched one another’s faces
closely as they asked, “Lord, is it I?” And now the silence of Judas drew
all eyes to him. Amid the confusion of questions and expressions of
astonishment, Judas had not heard the words of Jesus in answer to John’s
question. But now, to escape the scrutiny of the disciples, he asked as they
had done, “Master, is it I?” Jesus solemnly replied, “Thou hast said.”

In surprise and confusion at the exposure of his purpose, Judas rose hastily
to leave the room. “Then said Jesus unto him, That thou doest, do quickly. .
. . He then having received the sop went immediately out: and it was night.”
Night it was to the traitor as he turned away from Christ into the outer
darkness.

Until this step was taken, Judas had not passed beyond the possibility of
repentance. But when he left the presence of his Lord and his
655fellow disciples, the final decision had been made. He had passed the
boundary line.

Wonderful had been the long-suffering of Jesus in His dealing with this
tempted soul. Nothing that could be done to save Judas had been left undone.
After he had twice covenanted to betray his Lord, Jesus still gave him
opportunity for repentance. By reading the secret purpose of the traitor’s
heart, Christ gave to Judas the final, convincing evidence of His divinity.
This was to the false disciple the last call to repentance. No appeal that
the divine-human heart of Christ could make had been spared. The waves of
mercy, beaten back by stubborn pride, returned in a stronger tide of
subduing love. But although surprised and alarmed at the discovery of his
guilt, Judas became only the more determined. From the sacramental supper he
went out to complete the work of betrayal.

In pronouncing the woe upon Judas, Christ also had a purpose of mercy toward
His disciples. He thus gave them the crowning evidence of His Messiahship. “I tell you before it come,” He said, “that, when
it is come to pass, ye may
believe that I AM.” Had Jesus remained silent, in apparent ignorance of what
was to come upon Him, the disciples might have thought that their Master had
not divine foresight, and had been surprised and betrayed into the hands of
the murderous mob. A year before, Jesus had told the disciples that He had
chosen twelve, and that one was a devil. Now His words to Judas, showing
that his treachery was fully known to his Master, would strengthen the faith
of Christ’s true followers during His humiliation. And when Judas should
have come to his dreadful end, they would remember the woe that Jesus had
pronounced upon the betrayer.

And the Saviour had still another purpose. He had not withheld His ministry
from him whom He knew to be a traitor. The disciples did not understand His
words when He said at the feet washing, “Ye are not all clean,” nor yet when
at the table He declared, “He that eateth bread with Me hath lifted up his
heel against Me.” John 13:11, 18. But afterward, when His meaning was made
plain, they had something to consider as to the patience and mercy of God
toward the most grievously erring.

Though Jesus knew Judas from the beginning, He washed his feet. And the
betrayer was privileged to unite with Christ in partaking of the sacrament.
A long-suffering Saviour held out every inducement for the sinner to receive
Him, to repent, and to be cleansed from the defilement of sin. This example
is for us. When we suppose one to be in error and sin, we are not to divorce
ourselves from him. By no careless
656separation are we to leave him a prey to temptation, or drive him upon
Satan’s battleground. This is not Christ’s method. It was because the
disciples were erring and faulty that He washed their feet, and all but one
of the twelve were thus brought to repentance.

Christ’s example forbids exclusiveness at the Lord’s Supper. It is true that
open sin excludes the guilty. This the Holy Spirit plainly teaches.
1 Cor. 5:11. But beyond this none are to pass judgment. God has not left
it with men to say who shall present themselves on these occasions. For who
can read the heart? Who can distinguish the tares from the wheat? “Let a man
examine himself, and so let him eat of that bread, and drink of that cup.”
For “whosoever shall eat this bread, and drink this cup of the Lord,
unworthily, shall be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord.” “He that
eateth and drinketh unworthily, eateth and drinketh damnation to himself,
not discerning the Lord’s body.” 1 Cor. 11:28, 27, 29.

When believers assemble to celebrate the ordinances, there are present
messengers unseen by human eyes. There may be a Judas in the company, and if
so, messengers from the prince of darkness are there, for they attend all
who refuse to be controlled by the Holy Spirit. Heavenly angels also are
present. These unseen visitants are present on every such occasion. There
may come into the company persons who are not in heart servants of truth and
holiness, but who may wish to take part in the service. They should not be
forbidden. There are witnesses present who were present when Jesus washed
the feet of the disciples and of Judas. More than human eyes beheld the
scene.

Christ by the Holy Spirit is there to set the seal to His own ordinance. He
is there to convict and soften the heart. Not a look, not a thought of
contrition, escapes His notice. For the repentant, brokenhearted one He is
waiting. All things are ready for that soul’s reception. He who washed the
feet of Judas longs to wash every heart from the stain of sin.

None should exclude themselves from the Communion because some who are
unworthy may be present. Every disciple is called upon to participate
publicly, and thus bear witness that he accepts Christ as a personal
Saviour. It is at these, His own appointments, that Christ meets His people,
and energizes them by His presence. Hearts and hands that are unworthy may
even administer the ordinance, yet Christ is there to minister to His
children. All who come with their faith fixed upon Him will be greatly
blessed. All who neglect these seasons of divine privilege will suffer loss.
Of them it may appropriately be said, “Ye are not all clean.”

In partaking with His disciples of the bread and wine, Christ pledged
659Himself to them as their Redeemer. He committed to them the new covenant, by
which all who receive Him become children of God, and joint heirs with
Christ. By this covenant every blessing that heaven could bestow for this
life and the life to come was theirs. This covenant deed was to be ratified
with the blood of Christ. And the administration of the Sacrament was to
keep before the disciples the infinite sacrifice made for each of them
individually as a part of the great whole of fallen humanity.

But the Communion service was not to be a season of sorrowing. This was not
its purpose. As the Lord’s disciples gather about His table, they are not to
remember and lament their shortcomings. They are not to dwell upon their
past religious experience, whether that experience has been elevating or
depressing. They are not to recall the differences between them and their
brethren. The preparatory service has embraced all this. The
self-examination, the confession of sin, the reconciling of differences, has
all been done. Now they come to meet with Christ. They are not to stand in
the shadow of the cross, but in its saving light. They are to open the soul
to the bright beams of the Sun of Righteousness. With hearts cleansed by
Christ’s most precious blood, in full consciousness of His presence,
although unseen, they are to hear His words, “Peace I leave with you, My
peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you.” John
14:27.

Our Lord says, Under conviction of sin, remember that I died for you. When
oppressed and persecuted and afflicted for My sake and the gospel’s,
remember My love, so great that for you I gave My life. When your duties
appear stern and severe, and your burdens too heavy to bear, remember that
for your sake I endured the cross, despising the shame. When your heart
shrinks from the trying ordeal, remember that your Redeemer liveth to make
intercession for you.

The Communion service points to Christ’s second coming. It was designed to
keep this hope vivid in the minds of the disciples. Whenever they met
together to commemorate His death, they recounted how “He took the cup, and
gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, Drink ye all of it; for this is My
blood of the new testament, which is shed for many for the remission of
sins. But I say unto you, I will not drink henceforth of this fruit of the
vine, until that day when I drink it new with you in My Father’s kingdom.”
In their tribulation they found comfort in the hope of their Lord’s return.
Unspeakably precious to them was the thought, “As often as ye eat this
bread, and drink this cup, ye do show the Lord’s death till He come.” 1 Cor.
11:26.

660

These are the things we are never to forget. The love of Jesus, with its
constraining power, is to be kept fresh in our memory. Christ has instituted
this service that it may speak to our senses of the love of God that has
been expressed in our behalf. There can be no union between our souls and
God except through Christ. The union and love between brother and brother
must be cemented and rendered eternal by the love of Jesus. And nothing less
than the death of Christ could make His love efficacious for us. It is only
because of His death that we can look with joy to His second coming. His
sacrifice is the center of our hope. Upon this we must fix our faith.

The ordinances that point to our Lord’s humiliation and suffering are
regarded too much as a form. They were instituted for a purpose. Our senses
need to be quickened to lay hold of the mystery of godliness. It is the
privilege of all to comprehend, far more than we do, the expiatory
sufferings of Christ. “As Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness,”
even so has the Son of man been lifted up, “that whosoever believeth in Him
should not perish, but have eternal life.” John 3:14, 15. To the cross of
Calvary, bearing a dying Saviour, we must look. Our eternal interests demand
that we show faith in Christ.

Our Lord has said, “Except ye eat the flesh of the Son of man, and drink His
blood, ye have no life in you. . . . For My flesh is meat indeed, and My
blood is drink indeed.” John 6:53–55. This is true of our physical nature.
To the death of Christ we owe even this earthly life. The bread we eat is
the purchase of His broken body. The water we drink is bought by His spilled
blood. Never one, saint or sinner, eats his daily food, but he is nourished
by the body and the blood of Christ. The cross of Calvary is stamped on
every loaf. It is reflected in every water spring. All this Christ has
taught in appointing the emblems of His great sacrifice. The light shining
from that Communion service in the upper chamber makes sacred the provisions
for our daily life. The family board becomes as the table of the Lord, and
every meal a sacrament.

And how much more are Christ’s words true of our spiritual nature. He
declares, “Whoso eateth My flesh, and drinketh My blood, hath eternal life.”
It is by receiving the life for us poured out on Calvary’s cross, that we
can live the life of holiness. And this life we receive by receiving His
word, by doing those things which He has commanded. Thus we become one with
Him. “He that eateth My flesh,” He says, “and drinketh My blood, dwelleth in
Me, and I in him. As the living
661Father hath sent Me, and I live by the Father: so he that eateth Me, even he
shall live by Me.” John 6:54, 56, 57. To the holy Communion this scripture
in a special sense applies. As faith contemplates our Lord’s great
sacrifice, the soul assimilates the spiritual life of Christ. That soul will
receive spiritual strength from every Communion. The service forms a living
connection by which the believer is bound up with Christ, and thus bound up
with the Father. In a special sense it forms a connection between dependent
human beings and God.

As we receive the bread and wine symbolizing Christ’s broken body and
spilled blood, we in imagination join in the scene of Communion in the upper
chamber. We seem to be passing through the garden consecrated by the agony
of Him who bore the sins of the world. We witness the struggle by which our
reconciliation with God was obtained. Christ is set forth crucified among
us.

Looking upon the crucified Redeemer, we more fully comprehend the magnitude
and meaning of the sacrifice made by the Majesty of heaven. The plan of
salvation is glorified before us, and the thought of Calvary awakens living
and sacred emotions in our hearts. Praise to God and the Lamb will be in our
hearts and on our lips; for pride and self-worship cannot flourish in the
soul that keeps fresh in memory the scenes of Calvary.

He who beholds the Saviour’s matchless love will be elevated in thought,
purified in heart, transformed in character. He will go forth to be a light
to the world, to reflect in some degree this mysterious love. The more we
contemplate the cross of Christ, the more fully shall we adopt the language
of the apostle when he said, “God forbid that I should glory, save in the
cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world is crucified unto me, and
I unto the world.” Gal. 6:14.